A letter to my child’s preschool teachers

Dear sweet preschool teachers,

It is hard to leave my child with you. Well not you in particular, but with anyone. It is hard to allow someone else to care for my precious child for the majority of the day and to be a part of our crazy experience of raising a human. I also know it is hard to spend 10 hours a day with 20 toddlers. I know you go home extremely tired and physically and mentally spent.  

Your back may be sore from bending low to speak to my daughter softly, caring for her scrapes, and offering affirmation. Your heart may ache because you see her value even on her hardest days. And your shoes may be sticky from offering activities that teach her creativity or yet another bathroom accident. In all of this, I thank you for choosing to serve her and our family in each new day.

Thank you for the energy, patience, and passion you gift to my and other children every day. Thank you for cleaning up spills, working through tantrums, and providing consistency for my child.

Thank you for prioritizing my child’s emotional, physical, and relational safety. For teaching her through gentle instruction how to be be more self-reliant and move forward with healthy independence. Thank you for giving her new words to use, songs to sing, and memories to cherish.

Thank you for not taking short cuts and for gifting my child the best care possible. Thank you for seeing my child as an individual and appreciating and delighting in her uniqueness. But thank you also, for teaching her to be a part of a group and the necessity of rules and respect.

If you are tired, worn down, or exhausted please know that the care, expertise, and time you provide builds our next generation and is so valuable to my child and our family. We love you and support you.

Crazy big thanks,

A grateful parent